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' E. W. BRETTELL.

TRUNK OR BOX PASTENER.

No. 298,279. Patented May 6, 1884.

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EDWARD W. BRETTELL, OF NElVARK, NE'W JERSEY.

TRUNK OR BOX FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,279, dated May 6, 1884-.

Application filed February 13, 1554.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, EDWARD W. BRETTELL, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Catches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and etc act description ofthe invention, such as will onable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had t6 the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in trunk-catches to supplement a lock in securing the lid firmly to the body of the trunk; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, as herein after more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure l is an outside or face view of the catch,showing thesame closed. Fig. 2 is an insideview, the catch being losed. Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the catch unlocked and the tongue withdrawn from its keeper. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section through the upper casing,thehookedlocking-lever and spring being removed therefrom. Fig. 5 is an inside view of the upper case with the locking mechanism removed. Fig. 6 shows.

a side and plan view of the hooked lever.

To the lid of the trunk or box is fastened the upper casing, A,which is provided with a recessed tongue, D. and ears having openings for the screws or rivets which fasten said casing to the lid. The casing A is provided with an opening or slot, a, in its face, and has two lugs or studs, 2) c, on the inside of the cover, as shown in Fig. 5.

B is the lower casing or keeper,which is selockingcured to the body of the trunk or box, and is' provided with an opening, f, for the tongue D. It has also a catch or projection, 9.

To the stud b in the recessed casing A is pivoted the locking-lever O, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This locking-lever 0 fits and plays in a recessed tongue, D, which is a downward extension of the casing A. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) The locking-lever O is formed with an arm, d, which fits and plays in the casin g A. The arm (No model.)

cl, which extends in an opposite direction to that of locking-lever 0, has formed 011 it a handle or thumb-piece, e, which projects ,th rough the opening a in the casin g A, by means of which the arm (1 and lever G can be partially rotated on the pivot b to fasten or unfasten the trnnk-lid,as desired. The arm (1 is wide enough to entirely close or cover the opening a when the lever 0 is in its locked position; but when the lever 0 is drawn back into the tongue D enough to allow the lever O to be drawn back within it when the trunk is to be opened. The tongue is open or cut away at h, to permit the hooked end of the lever O, to project and engage with the stop or catch 9 at the side of the opening f.

To the stud c in the casing A is attached a spring, E, one end of which bears against the casing A below the lever C, while the other end bears against a projection, 2', on the hub under the'lever G, as shown. This spring E serves the purpose of keeping the leverin place when in its locked position, and also when in its unlocked position, but yields when the lever is moved by means of the thumb-piece c.

From the foregoing description the operation of the device willbe apparent. To fasten the trunk, theparts being in the position shown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to lower the lid, which will cause the tongue to enter the keeper, after which the thumb-piece c is moved so as to cover the slot a,which will cause the hooked end of the lever 0 to engage with the, catch 9 in the keeper, thus securely fastening the trunk. By moving the thumb-piece in the opposite direction the lever will be drawn into the tongue, thereby releasing the catch, when the lid can be raised. In case the end of thelever should be moved out of the tongue while the lid isopen, no damage can be done to it, for the mere act of closing the lid will force the projecting hook into the tongue. It will thus be seen thatimy invention affords a catch or fastening for trunks, boxes, &c.,which is sini- In a trunk-catch, the combination-of the recessed casin A, having a slot, (1, pivots I) c, and recessed tongue D, provided with side opening, h, the hook or lever G, pivoted in said casing and having an arm, d, provided with thumb-piece c, the spring E, and the keeper I3, having opening f and catch 9, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD W. BR-ETTELL. IVitnesses:

WM. HALSEY U'r-TER, Slum. J. MAcnoNALn. 

